Improvedbashing-machine



UNITED *STATES APrrifithrr. OFFICE,-

ERAsfrUs DoUeLAss, 0F LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

im P'R'oveo' WAS Hi Nc-"MAGH'IN E.

Speeiticatiouloi'ming part of Letters Patent 'No'.flis),4 dated June 20,1865..

To all when@ it may concern:

'Lowelhin the county4 of. 'Middlesex and State ofMassachuseltts, vhaveinvented anew and Im,- .provedzWashing-Machine; and I do herebyldeclare' that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, referencebeing had to theaceompanying drawings, forming' partof this specification, in which-. f

' Figure lis a longitudinal vertical section ot' the-machine. Fig; 2 isaplan of the same.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in both gures'. 'p Theobjectot' my invention has beenfo ohtain a Washingmachine ot' simpl-eandcheap constiuctio'n, applicable to an ordinarywashtub, to taketheplace of the rubbing-board, which is so destructive to clothing;l and tothis enditconsists in the combination'of a Wooden cross pieceor blockand a beater, thc crosspiece or block bein g constructed to be 'placedacross the interior ofthe tub and secured there-v to,`and theheaterbeinghingetl to said cross:

ner as to 'strike upon it in or overth'e middle To enable others`skilled vrin `the artjto construct a, washingnnaeh-ine according tomyi'nvention, I will proceed' to describe it with reference to thedrawings.

A is a common wash-tub, across which the wooden cross-piece or block B1s rigidly fasti ened some distance from its top. VThis cross- 'pieeexorblock extends out beyond .the'washtub on one side, and' the rso extendedportion i's'furnished with iron brackets b, between which the armeof thebeater Gis securely pivoted by a screw-bolt or pin, d.. The saidcrosspiece or block is of suitable width to form a bearing for theclothes to he Washed while the beater is brought into .operation upon'them.

a and a are supports for the' cross-piece B: a. is 'a-wooden blockattached-to the inside ot' the tub, anda is screwedto the outside of thetubvto receive a screw-bolt, b', holding the f cross-piece or block Bsecurely in its place. A

. transverse groove, b'f,is eatin the upper surface' ofr thevcross-piece or block, near-one side 'fof the tub, and holes b inthebottom of said vgroove allow the Waterbeaten out of the clothes torun back into the `tub again, therebyob-4 viating the splashing of wateron theoor.

The heater C .isa block 'of Wood, of oblong shape andsuitablesize,attached to an arm, c, which forms the'h'andle by which it isoperated,

-' the said arm working freely on thepin or boltd. VThe `manner ofattaching the beater tothe Y cross piece or block B may be varied, andso i may the mode of attaching the saidcross-piece or block to thetub.The drawings represent .the block or cross-piece passing through an`opening, in the side of the tub, lbut it may be made of such form as topass over the .edge

vwithout such Vanopening.

The'operation is Vas follows: TheAclot-hes to 'be' Washed are rst soakedin tepid .water for some time, then 'placed into the-wash-tubwith' water.warm enough'for the purpose.A As many pieces asconvenient are thenplaced upon the j cross-piece, right under the beater. Some soap is 'puton them and a'slig'ht twist is given to Y `them to .keep them fromspreading out 'too' l thin.` The handle of the beater is then taken Yholdof and 4the beater worked up and down' rapidly'on the clothes onthecross-piece or block until the dirti is allbeaten out, and all Vthat isafterward necessaryl is t0 rinse them.

The advantage of this machine in washing is that it brings no strain onthe hems or bindings, nor any twist to distort thcsh'apeof the clothes,and it does not'wear out thestui so quickly as the rubbing process'. Y

What I claim as new, and desire 'to secure by Letters Patent, is`

The combination ofthe crossfp'ieeeor block ,B, the tub A, and? theheater C, as and for the lpurpose, herein specified.

ERAslus DOUGLAss.`

Witnesses l HENRVT. BRoWN, GEO. ,.REED.-

